Expulsion fuse



May 30, 1939. A. G. STEINMAYER EXPULSICN FUSE Filed Sept. 24, 1936 3Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

May 30, 1939. A. G. STEINMAYER EXPULS ION FUSE Filed Sept. 24, 1936 5Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

adv-40% Am A ORNEY.

y 30, 1939. AG. STEINMAYER 2,160,464

EXPULS ION FUSE Filed Sept. 24, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

' Patented May 30, 1939 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,160,464 EXPULSIONFUSE Alwin G. Stelnmayer, Milwaukee, Wis.,

to Line Material C assignor South Milwaukee,

Wis., a corporation of Delaware I Application September 24, 1936, SerialNo. 102,293 14 Claims. (c1.2oo 117) 15 Another object is to provide alink-removing lever having means for clamping the link directly toprovide a spring-actuated lever providing a minimum number of jointsbetween the secondary'conductors electrically connected by the fuse.

a lower end view of the device shown Fig. 3 1 if partly in section,taken on the line H of Fig. 1.

this invention.

Fig. 5 is a lower end view of the device shown in Fig.4.

appear as the descrip Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in side elevation,partly in section, illustrating a further modified form of thisinvention.

Fig. 7 is a view' in side elevation illustrating a still further form ofthis invention. 5

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, and taken on the line88 of Fig. 1 showing the connector.

of the tube I.

The lever 6, as will be seen in Fig. 2, is U extends beneath the leverion the terminal 3.

Terminal or contact member 3 is provided with thereby places the fusiblesection i will move the lower remaining portion of the -fuse linkthrough the I and widely space the fuse link.

will be obvious, fromthe disclosure in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, that, when thefusible section I6 has been destroyed, the fuse structure may bedisconnected from the conductor I3 and wire I4 for the purpose of fuselink for open lower end of the tube separated tions of the substitutinga new the destroyed one.

Preferably, the terminal 3 is provided atits lower end with a recess l8within which the lever 6 is disposed. In view of the fact that the fusestructure is suspended in a substantially vertical position such asillustrated in Fig, l, the sides of Thelever 22 ispivotally eessflbymeansofthepinflandiablasedfor' w is'sddered or otherwise secured 4 and5, the tube I is the recess I2 serve 'as a protecting apron for thelever 6, thereby preventing sleet from collecting about the lever i.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the upper end of the fusestructure may be similar to that disclosed in Fig. 1. However, in Figs.provided with a terminal 2! having a downwardly extendingpivot-supporting arm 2| spaced laterally of the tube. This arm 2I isprovided with spaced lugs 2I' supporting a pivot pin 23 upon which alever 22 is pivotally mounted. A spring 24 biases the lever 22 formovement downwardly relative to the end of the tube I. One end of thespring directly engages the lever 22 and the other end directly en agesthe arm 2I.

The lever 22,. shown in Figs. 4 and 5, is provided with an aperture 25substantially coaxial with the bore of the tube I and with an apertureintersecting the aperture 25.

into the inter- 25 and 26 is a link 8 to the lever which is preferablyflexible, to the fuse link '9. As shown, the fuse link 9' extendsthrough the aperture 25 and the cable 28 extends through the aperture 2.Thus we see that the line cable 28 is in direct contact with the fuselink 9.

when the fuse link 9, shown in 4 and 5, is destroyed inthe mannerpreviously indicated with reference to Fig. 1, the lever 22 will then bereleased for movement downwardly about the pivot 22, thereby-pulling thefuselink I from the tube I. Preferably, the cable 28. order to allow thelever the pivot 22.

InFlg.6,the tube I ispro 2. having a recess 3| .whi

22 to freely moveabout with a mounted within the reof the spring 34' onthe pivot other end of the. sprlns directly enga es the The fuse link 9-extends downwardly through the aperture 25 in the lever 22 and isclamped to the lever by means of the clamping bolt 31. (The lever 22is'provided with a flexible cable 32 which to the lever at 22'. Thecable 3! is provided at its lower end with a the flexible cable 38downwardly relative to .mitanewlinktobe is flexible in houses the-lever32.-

a. one end of the.

s ring 34 directly engaees the lever .32 and the connected at oneactuated lever pivotally bifurcated connector 39 commonly used by thoseskilled in the art. This connector 39 is permanently secured to thecable 38 and may be connected in the usual manner with a transformer,lead-in wire, not shown. Thus, when the lever 32 shown in Fig. 6 is freeto move downwardly, will not seriously interfere with this movement.

In Fig. l, the tube I is provided at its upper end with thestructu'reillustrated in Fig. 1. In this view, the conductor I3 is illustrated assecured by means of a. connector I2 to one of the side portions of thestirrup 5.

terminal 20 similar to that illustrated in Fig. 4.

This terminal is provided porting the pin 23 pivotally mounted.

with an arm 2I supand upon which the lever 22 is This lever 22 isactuated Fig. '7 by means-of'the spring 24 in the same manner asdescribed with reference to Fig. 4.

The fuse link 9 is secured to the lever 22 by means of the clamping bolt21. This fuse link 9 extends from the lever and is secured by means of abifurcated connector I2 to a terminal stud on the transformer 4|, only afragmentary. transformer being illustrated. The fuse link is pulled fromthe tube I in the same manner as previously described with'reference tothe other figures and the flexible leader of the link 9 permits thelever 22' to freely move downwardly about its pivot.

Obviously, when the fuse link 'is to be replaced in the fuse illustratedin Fig. 'l, the fuse will be disconnected from the conductor l3 and theflexible leader of the link 9 will be disconnected from the stud 40 onthe transformer H. The fuse link will then be disconnected from thelever 22 and the cap 4 will be removed from the tube I to perinserted inthe tube. -When the new link has been inserted, the cap 4 will bereplaced and theflexible end of the fuse link will be connected to thelever 22 as previously described. After the link has been assembled inthe tube, the fuse will then be mounted as illustrated in Fig. 7.

Y In each of the modifications the link-removing lever is pivoted formovement in a path described by an are extending from a tangentsubstantially parallel to the axis of the tube, thereby moving the fuselink from the tube with a minimum flexing thereof;

From the drawings and the foregoing description, it will be apparentthat I have provided for secondary circuits an expulsi spring-actuatedlever removes the fuse link from the fuse tube in a directionsubstantially longitudinally away from the end of the tube, therebyproducing a minimum flexing of the fuse link as it moves from thetubeand reducing resistance to such movement to a minimum.

It will also be seen that I have provided adequate protection for themovable parts of the fuse against interference from sleet, provided a umnumber of electrical connections between two conductors, and providedsecondary V ulsion fuse which is easily, and cheaply manufactured andassembled.

I claim:

electrical conductor, ofxan expulsion fuse comcontact closing the otherend and connected with the first conductor, a fuse link in saidcartridge end with said contact, a springsupported by said car- I. Incombination with a first and a second tridge and providedwith saidaperture and said bolt holding wa in direct contact with .said secondconductor.

2. In combination witha flrst and a second electrical conductor, of anexpulsion fuse comprising a cartridge open at one end and having acontact closing the other end and connected with the first conductor, afuse link in said-cartridge connected at one end with said contact, aspringactuated lever plvotally supported by said car- 'tridge adjacentthe open end thereof and having a pair of intersecting apertures, and aclamping bolt on said lever extending into said apertures at theintersection thereof, said link extending through one of said aperturesand the second conductor extending through the other aperture, said boltholding said link in direct contact with said second conductonsaidsecond conductor being flexible, thereby to offer a minimum resistanceto movement of said lever after said fuse link has blown.

3. A fuse structure including a cartridge open .at one end, a contactclosing the other end of said cartridge, a ferrule on said cartridgeadjacent the open end thereof, said ferrule providing a hoodlike portionforming a recess at said open end, a lever pivotally supported by saidportion for movement into said recess whereby toprotect said lever fromsleet, and a spring disposed in said recess and urging said lever formovement out of said recess.

4. A fuse structure including a cartridge open at one end, a contactclosing the other end of said cartridge, a ferrule on said cartridgeadjacent the open end thereof, said ferrule comprising a, hoodlikeportion forming a recess at said open end, a lever pivotally supportedby said portion for movement into said recess whereby to protect saidlever from sleet, a spring disposed in said recess and urging said leverfor movement out of said recess, and a fuse link in said cartridgeconnected to said contact and having a flexible leader engaged with.said lever and normally holding it in said recess. 1

5. In a. fuse comprising a cartridge open at one end and having a pairof contacts, one of which is disposed adjacent the open end of said cararecess having a pair of coaxial apertures, and a fuse link in saidcartridge connecting said contacts; a spring-actuated lever having apivot pin in said apertures and biased for movement awayfrom the openend of said cartridge,

adjacent to said open end by said fuse link and said lever describing adownward are relative to the open end of said cartridge upon blowing ofthe fuse link.

6. In a secondary fuse for electrically connecting electricallyconductive wires, said fuse comprising a cartridge open at one end andhaving a pair of contacts, one of which is disposed adjacent the openend of said ca;tridge, and a fuse link in said cartridge connecting saidcontacts, said contact adjacent the open end or said cartridge beingprovided with a supporting arm; a spring-actuated lever pivotallymounted on said pivot-supporting arm, said lever being biased formovement upon blowing of said fuse link, each of said contacts beingprovided with stirmps comprising a plurality of angularly relatedwire-ensaidlever being held within' E ting portions, and connector meanson said stirrups for connecting said line wires thereto, said connectormeans being interchangeable between said wire-engaging portions.

7. In a fuse comprising a cartidge having an open end and a pair ofcontacts, and a fuse link in said cartridge connecting said contacts,one contact being disposed adjacent the open end of said cartridge andbeing provided with an inverted recess in registry with said open end; a

- spring-actuated lever pivotally mounted in said recess, whereby to beprotected from sleet, said spring-actuated lever being held in a biasedposition in said recess by said fuse link and describing an arc downwardand away from the lower end of said open cartridge after saidfusc linkhas blown. I

8. In a fuse comprising a cartridge having an open end and a pair ofcontacts, and a fuse link in said cartridge connecting said contacts,one contact being disposed adjacent the open end of said cartridge andbeing provided with an inverted recess in registry with said open end; aspring-actuated lever pivotally mounted in said recess, whereby to beprotected from sleet, a flexible conductor secured to said lever andprovided with means adapted to be connected with a conductor, clampingmeans on said lever securing said link thereto, said lever being held ina biased position in said recess by said fuse link and describing an arcdownward and away' from the lower end of said open cartridge after saidfuse link has blown.

9. In an electric circuit, the combination with a conductor andtransformer terminal, of a fuse comprising a cartridgegiaving an openend and a.

otally mounted on the last-mentioned contact,

clamping means mounted on said lever and securing said flexible leaderthereto, said leader extending from said lever and being in directcontact with said transformer terminal, said transformer terminal beingremote from said cartridge, whereby movement of said lever is unhamperedafter the fuse link blows and said expulsion fuse will not cause strainon said conductor by reason of movement of the latter.

10. A secondary fuse comprising a cartridge having an open end and apair of contacts, a fuse link in said cartridge connecting said contactsand having a flexible leader, one contact being disposed adjacent theopen end of said cartridge, and a pivot pin on said one contact; aspringactuated lever pivotally mounted on said pin and provided withclamping means for securing said leader directly to said lever, a secondflexible leader secured at one end to said lever and provided at itsother end with connector means, said second flexible leader beingelectrically connected with said flexible leader through said lever,said lever being adapted to eflect removal of said fuse link.

11. In 'a fuse structure for direct connection with a conductor, thecombination with a fuse tube, of a contact member on said tube, andclamping means for connecting said member with said conductor, saidmember providing angularly related portions adapted to alternativelyreceive said means, whereby said conductor may be connected with saidmember in any one of a plurality of angular relations to said tubesubstantially without distortion of said conductor. l

12. In a fuse structure for direct connection with a conductor, thecombination with a fuse tube, of a contact member on said tubecomprising a stirrup having angularly related portions, and clampingmeans engageable alternatively with either of said portions for clampingsaid conductor to said stirrup in selective angular retube, a stirrup onsaid cap having angulariy related portions, and clampingmeans engageablealternatively with either of said portions for clamping said conductorto said stirrup in selective angular relationsto said tube.

14. A fuse cartridge comprising a fuse tube, a

biased lever mounted thereon, and a fuse link in said tube, saidcartridge including a flexible leader extending from said lever to a;point remote from said cartridge, and clamping means for releasablyconnecting said fuse link with said lever, said leader being secureddirectly to said lever.

ALWIN G. STEINMAYER.

